Grove City E-Commerce Students Raise Record Amount for Charities
GROVE CITY, Pa. – Students in the Grove City College’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation raised a record $4,878 for local charities through their online businesses.
As part of the center’s e-commerce course, students develop online businesses and operate them throughout the semester. Proceeds from the businesses are then donated to charities.
“Not surprisingly, COVID-19 changed the way that we did everything in this class. The students learned exactly what challenges businesses are currently facing as they personally experienced supply chain breakdowns, the need to add safety protocols, and having to prepare contingency plans,” said Yvonne English, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and teacher of the e-commerce course. “I was shocked when we totaled the donations and found that this class had the largest donation total in the history of this class – during a pandemic! I’m proud of the incredible grit that our students showed and of the good work that they accomplished for our community.”
In total, the students created eight businesses:
- Imago Jewelry, created by Olivia Whiteman, Stu Rozendal and Jake Botkin, raised $1,370.54 for Light of Life Rescue Mission in Pittsburgh.
- KnotHangin’ created by Bailet Mantzell, Jansen Dudt, Amanda Mayer and Don Colflesh, raised $707.50 for The Arc of Mercer County in Hermitage.
- Free Indeed Jewelry Co., created by Jael Compton, Ellianna Fry, Jonathan Skee and AJ Bernsdorff, raised $699.31 for Reaching Up and Reaching Up in Grove City.
- Bands of Truth, by Zach Allen, Nathan Martin and Tara Peterson, raised $678.19 for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
- Phileo Heat, by Laura Mosley, Grant Baierl and Hannah Sedam, raised $581.79 for The Miracle League of South Hills in Pittsburgh.
- Yerba Box Tea Co., created by Benjamin Salaj, Dillon Werstiuk, Fisher Koons and Andrew Jordan, raised $424.08 for Grove City Area Meals on Wheels.
- Tech Jewels, by Thomas Kenny, Hannah Hammersley, Alec Wichman and Johnny Youland, raised $311.89 for The Genius Corps in Pittsburgh.
- Artem Totes, created by Caterina Nicoletti, Avalon Parson and Ethan Raynaud, raised $105.50 for an autism resource in Zelienople.
Usually, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation holds an in-person event at Grove City College’s homecoming to help students promote their businesses. With in-person events cancelled due to the pandemic, the center moved the event online, Venture Village, to drive sales and interest in the student businesses.
Pictured: Imago Jewelry’s Stu Rozendal, Olivia Whiteman and Jake Botkin, sell their jewelry on Grove City College’s campus. Proceeds from the business were donated to Light of Life Rescue Mission.
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